davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-08-25

QUEEN MARGHERITA of Italy asked
King Humbcrt at the opening OF the
season if he thought her still young
enough to wear white muslin dresses.
The King did not answer at once, and
his wife gradually became worried at
his silence. At length, however, she
received FROM Paris six white dresses
of the finest material and the most
youthful style. By such a delicate and
practical method did the gallant Hum
bert show his confidence in his wife's
beauty.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-08-25
Crimes.

Ck1M60s
On his second trial DR.. Weir. Of East
Tawas, Mich, was acquitted of the charge
of numbering Mabel Clark.
John Neill, clerk in the civil district court
at New Orleans, was shot by James Doran,
special policeman, in a political quarrel.
'sCharlie Jim," Chinese laundryman of
New York, has been arrested for killing
boy who threw q missile through his
window.
Four brakemen and a woman have been
arrested at Philadelphia for robbing freight
cars. The ringleaders fled on hearing of
the arrest OF their accomplices.
All the six murderers OF the American,
]. B. Duval, at Santa Rosa, have been con-
victed, and are on their way to prison to
serve ten-year sentence.
At Winnipeg, Man., Tom Newton, a
bricklayer, quarreled with q dairyman
named lingo, about dog. Newton went to
his house got gun and shot lingo dead, on
the principal street Of the city.
A colored boy, years old, living in Lam
caster county, Ga, had quarrel with two
small colored girls over water melon, and
either by accident or design, discharged q
shot gun loaded with buckshot killing one
Of the girls.
Jake Sharp, is said to be dying in the Lud
low Street Jail in New York. He is unable
to move, and is in q state of semi-conscious-
ness most OF the time. When he is con-
scious his moaning can be heard beyond the
prison walls. Every bono in his body
aches.
Frank n. Langston, son of ex-Minister
Langston, who has been on trial for killing
q man in Petersburg, Va, q few weeks
since, has been convicted OF manslaughter
aud sentenced to the penitentiary for
eight years. Langston's respectable con-
negro he killed probably saved his neck
Sheriff Charles Lynch, Of Alpena, Mich,
has died at the Detroit Sanitayium from o
shot wound in the leg, inflicted hy the
notorious "Blinkey" Morgan. Sheriff
Lynch planned and carried out the scheme
to capture "Blinkey" Morgan and others
alleged to 30 the murderers Of Detective
now in jail at Ravenna, Ohio.
At Mexico, Missouri, Ann Brettster, col
ored, left her two children, aged five years
and ten months respectively, in an SxS
room closely shut up while she went to q
neighbor's house to spend the night. At
night when the room was opened horrible
almost suffocated and the baby was in the
throes of death. A portion OF the flesh OF
the breast and stomach had been eaten
away by the elder child, who was almost
starved. The mother Is under arrest as the
younger child will die.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-08-25

Omaha Bee: Mr.. E. l.. Emery, as.
sistant superintendent of the Omaha
Fair and Exposition, returned Wednes.
day from an extended trip over the G.
4 N. w. railroad. The object of Mr..
Emery's tour was to solicit exhibits for
the fair in this city in September. Mr.
Emery is practical stockman and tc
Bee representative gave very favor
able account of the farming interests
Of Western Iowa. The corn crop,
said Mr.. Emery, is excellent, and the
average this year will be larger than
that Of any previous season. Oats and
small grains are in first class conditions
and the prospects for an extraordinary
yield in general crops is good.
During his stay in the Hawkeye
State Mr.. Emery visited number Of
the leading stock farms of the State,
many of which have no supcriors in
this country. Throughout this section
of Iowa, Mr.. Emery says, the breeding
and raising of stock is done, on
scientific principles, and some Of the
best breeds in existence are produced
! there.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
SHAMEFUL REPUTATION.

II will be that the bill OF 1918 and the Next
pension bin being thus passed nearer the close
Of the wars in which its benefcaries were engaged
than the others-one IS years and the other 80
years amer the termination OF such wars-em-
braced persons who were quite advanced In age,
assumed TO be comparatively few In number. and
whose circumstances, dependence and disabilities
were clearly defined and could be quite easily
iixed.-Pfcsidcnfs Message.
That is, by delaying payment of just debts
for period of years money will be saved,
because the creditors will die Off rapidly,
and be beyond the reach of payment.
What a low standard of honesty-or rather
dishonesty-this is!
There can be no form Of reputation so
mean as that which refuses payment TO the
veterans until they have died of to such IN
extent that only a small sum will be re.
quired to pay them.
If the Nation ever viii owe anything tC
these men it owes il to them aolo-not Il
years hence-as the President hints in an.
other part of his message. To those who ar,
disabled now the money is as justly due a,
it will be to those who survive 10 yean
longer and become disabled then.
The proposition TO let the veterans die il
privation and misery in order TO save money
is shameless one.
Ii is akin TO the infamous Gen. Winder'
proposition TO allow the ravages of starvation
and disease TO reduce the number of prisoner
at AndersOnville until the stoekade wouIt
be ample for the accommodation of all con
fined there.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
COMPARATIVE CONVERSATION

cannot but remember that the soldiers of our
civil war in their pay and bounty receive such com
pensation for military service has never been
ceived by soldiers before since mankind first went
to war.-PresiderrFs Veto Message
What was this enormous increase of pay
to the soldiers of the late war over what was
received by soldiers Of previous wars?
The pay schedules in the War Department
do not show anything of the kind.
In the Revolutionary war the pay of a
private in the cavalry or artillery was 500
year. Infantry privates received $50 a
year. Besides this there were bounties and
grants of land.
In the war of 1912 all privates received
500 year, with bOunties and grants of land.
The rate of pay was the same when the
Mexican war broke out, but it was soon
raised to 1892 year for infantry and artil-
lery privates, and s144 for eavalrymen. This
was paid in gold.
This was the rate Of pay when the war of
the rebellion broke out, but in 1861 the pay
of all privates was raised to S156 year, and
bounty of 800 was offered in lieu of land
warrant. In 1868, when the greenback dol
lar had so deprecated as be worth but so
cents or less, the pay was increased to $192
and the bounty to 1902 for new recruits, and
S402 for veterans. Reduced to gold basis
this was not so much as was received by the
Mexican war soldiers for less trying and per-
ilous service, so that the Presidents state
ment has no sort of foundation in fact.
Anotherimportant factor in the comparison
of pay, and one which the President is careful
to ignore, is that although the pay of the
private soldier was apparently higher dur
ing the war of the rebellion than during
previous wars, the increase was in no greater
proportion than the increase of compensation
in other pursuits. Eight dollars 80 years
ago meant great deal more money than
| S13 does now. 1t was nearer the level oil
the average pay of mechanics and laborers
than S13 month is now or was during the
rebellion. There was not man who was a
good soldier in the army, but could have
made from treble to tenfold that sum if he
had staid at home. No one knows this bet
ter than Mr.. Cleveland, for he staid at home
and had personal knowledge of the enor.
nous wages made by those who kept out Of
| the army.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17

and fought over from Nashville to Chicka-
manga. This narrow area is garden-spot
of fertility. 1t is the most densely populated
part of Europe. The frest roads in the
world lead in every direction. The numer-
our villages, towns and cities afforded can
tonments, barracks, and comfortable hospi-
tails for the well, the sick, and the wounded.
Every pound of food, every article of cloth
ing, of medicine, of surgical appliance
needed for the health and comfort of the
men in the ranks or the wounded and sick
was instantly at hand. No man lost his
life, his health OF his limbs where human
aid could preserve these for him. The Ger
man soldiers did not have to struggle for
weeks over roads that were almost impas-
sable gulfs of mire, in which teams fOun-
dered, in which horses and mules died
from exhaustion and starvation, and men
strained themselves with irreparable iDju-
ries. They did not have to lie for weeks in
miasmatic swamps, like those of the Missis-
sippi and the Chickahominy, nor did they
have to spend the Winters on the bleak
peaks of the Cumberland, with wholly mad
equate shelter, if any; with scanty food,
and with no proper hospital attendance.
| There was an abundance of men sent into
France to do the work, consequently there
was not the awful straining there was among
us to make 100 men do the work that in
Europe would have been given to 1000
The instant German soldier showed signs
of disease, or overstrain, or was wounded
the Surgeon took charge Of him, and, re-
moved to q splendidly-appointed hospital
his eonvaleseence was generally speedy anG
certain. ProportiOnally the pay of the Ger
man soldier was equal that received by tbs
Union soldier, and in other essential re
spects he was vastly better off,
So the Presidents statement fails to have
any force whatever.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
THEN AND NOW.
In his last annual message President
Cleveland said.
the army.

In his last annual message President
Cleveland said:
Erery patriotic heart responds 10 a tender consid-
Grafton for those tohO, hauiag served their country
long and tUel reduced to destination and depend
ence not as da incident Of their SERVICE but lCh adj
raReing age or through sickness misfortune We
are all tempted by the contemplation of such con-
dition to supply relief and are often impatient of
the limitations of public duty. Yielding to no one
in the desire to indulge this feeling of eonsidera-
ton, cannot rid myself of the conviction that if
these exsolders are to be relieved, they and their
cause are entitled to the benefit of an enactment
under which relief may be claimed n right, and
that such relief should be granted under the sane
ton of law, not in evasion of it; should such
worthy objects of care all equally entitled be re-
mitted to the unequal operation of sympathy, or
the tender mereies of social and political influence
with their unjust determinations.
This was so well expressed that it might
have been an extract from an editorial in THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE. 1t was hailed with de-
Lightly every soldier and friend of soldiers
from Maine to California, for it expressed pre-
eisely what we had all hoped for and struggled
for. At last there seemed prospect of rescu-
ing our comrades from the poorhouses, and of
carrying relief to thousands of homes where
want and distress now reign.
The bill which has just been vetoed was
framed in harmony with that recommended
ton of the President. 1t was drawn up by the
man whose position made him best fitted for
that duty-the Chairman of the House Com
mitttee on Invalid Pensions-Col. Matson,
himself soldier, and in close political ac-
cord with the President. No honest-minded
man can read the bill and say that it does
not exactly meet the requirements of the
Presidents recommendation. An over
whelming number of the Presidents friends
in the House evidently thought so, for they
passed it by an unusual majority. The digni-
fed Senators evidently thought so, for they
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
aNEyER BEFORE"

cannot but remember that the soldiers of our
civil war. In their pay and bounty, received such
compensation for military service as has never been
received by soldiers before. since mankind first
went to war.-Presidenfs Veto Message.
Since comparisons of compensations are in
order, let it be remembered that Mr.. Cleve-
land himself is being paid somewhat higher
than the majority of Presidents were. He
is getting $4,000 a year, which is double
the amount paid George Washington, John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison,
James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, An
drew Jackson, Martin Van Buren,, w. III.
Harrison, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zach
airy Taylor, Willard Fillmore, Franklin
Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln
and Andrew johnson.
But saying that he receives double the
salary paid II of the 81 men who preceded
him in the Presidential chair does not tell
the whole story by any means. He is given
allowances in the way of maintaining the
White House that amount to many thousand
dollars year more. Mrs Fremont, who is
one of the best informed persons in the cOun-
try on this particular subject, says:
Now but few expenses fall upon the President
All the present wellordered service of the house as
well rs its warming and lighting the fine kitchen
gardens etc. the forage and siableservice are pro-
vided for. with many added things which fully
double the present salary of $4,000.
During the greater part of our history all
these expenses had to be paid out of the
Presidents salary of $4,000, and the result
was that nearly all went out of Office much
poorer they came. Several became bankrupt
and at least one supported himself during
his later years upon the scanty emoluments
of Justice of the Peace.
We have every reason to hope that no such
ill-fortune will fall upon Mr.. Cleveland. i
his savings for the remainder of his term
are on the same scale as his thrift thus far
we shall have the satisfaction of knowing
that at least one of our Presidents was able
to retire upon handsome competence.
If Mrs. Fremont's estimate be correct, Mr.
Cleveland's income is at least four times thai
of the Presidents who conducted the country
through its great wars.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
MUSTERED OUT.

DOwNs.-Capt. Samuel W. Downs died at Tuck
ertOn, ". j., Feb 3, 1887 lie was mustered into
the United States service Second Lieutenant in
the Esd n. j., Sept. 49, 1862. He was promoted to
First Lieutenant Jan. 8, 1868. and made Adjutant
Feb. II. 1868. ON the expiration of the service of
the regiment he re-entered as First Lieutenant OF
Co. Ill, 10th y. j., and was promoted to Captain OF
Co. b March IS, lS65 He received brevet for gall
liant and meritOriOuS services before Petersburg,
Va, April 1865. From the time of its organization
and for three years he held Office of Commander OF
Ryerson Post, No. y, Department of New Jersey,
GAR. At the time of his death he was Post Chap
lain. BY a large circle in the community where he
lived he was very greatly beloved and esteemed a5
an earnest and exemplary Christian. He leaves q
wife and two children.
LUCAs.-At Greenville, H., Feb. 5, John NJ. Lu-
cas- Co Il, 10th H., member of Colby Post, No.
sol, GAR, of consumption, originating in the
NiclSsburg campaign, aggravatedby l3mOnthS' I'M
prisOnment in rebel pen at Tyler. Tex.
GASTON.-Sylvester CASTOR, Co. X. Tooth Pa
" ROundheads,' died at New Castle Pa, Feb. 8.
Comrade CASTOR lost his left ut second Bull
Run, Aug 20 1852 In civil life he has held several
County offices. being one of the best-knOwn men
of Lawrence County, Pa. He was every inch y
man.
NEsBIF.-John Nesbit died in Avon, Loraiu Co.,
o., Feb. L. He was born in Madrid Lawrence Co.,
N. Y; moved to Ohio when he was eight years old.
He enlisted In Co. c. 10th Ohio, July 1852; served
III months, and was discharged for disability. Ho
n charter member of John Harrison Post. No.
500. GAR, of Avon, and the first member of the
Post TO be mustered out by death.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
"a PARTING BESEFACTIoS..

Hitherto such relief has been granted to surviv-
ing soldiers few in number, venerable in age after
a long lapse of time since their military service,
and as parting benefaction rendered by CRATE
full people.-PreSidenfs Message.
Why shall not those who are dying now,
or who in all human probability cannot live
more than two or three years, have this
parting benefaction as well as those who
may die Is or 20 years hence?
Why should there be such tremendous
desire to reduce this parting benefaction y
TO lowest spot cash figures?
If "a grateful people" are in the "part-
ing benefaction business, why not do it up
handsomely while they are about it2
If it is beautiful and appropriate thing
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
PERSONAL.
followed.

New York paper says: By special order from
National Headquarters, Quartermaster John ri.
Cook, of Lafayette Post, has been appointed Aid
deCamp on the Staff of the Commander-in- Chief
Gen. Fairchild has placed the yellow ribbon on the
breast of a true comrade, an ardent member Of the
GAR, and a faithful worker in the good cause.
Comrade Boston Corbett, the slayer Of Wilkes
Booth, has made his home in Cloud County Kan
for number of years. He was recently elected
Assistant DOorkeeper Of the Legislature of Kansas
Capt. VIM. P. Pierce has been suspended from
his position as Consul at Cienfuegos Capt.
Pierce served as Sergeant Adiutant and Cap
tain in the I1th KY. Cav. He was captured in bat
tie and imprisoned in Libby. He was one of the
prisoners that escaped through the tunnel ia Feb
ruary, 1864, and was reeaptured before he reached
the Union lines and punished for several days with
confinement in loathsome cell under the prison.
He was present at the capture of the Con-
federate General, John Morgan, in Ohio, and
the official report of Major Rue, who had
command of the advanced troops makes compIi-
mentary mention of Adjt Pierce ON that occasion.
He served in the brigade of Gen. Wolford, now a
Member of Congress from Kentucky who speaks
in the highest terms of his galantry and efficiency
1t seems to be admitted that the official record Of
Consul Pierce is in every respect satisfactory and
his personal character has never been called in
question. The nomination Of Capt Pierce's sue
cessor is now pending in the Senate. The friends
of Capt. Pierce making strong effort to pre-
vent the confirmation, believing that when the
President is acquainted with all the facts he will
view the matter in a different light.
Lieut.. John Nelson, 18th Pa. Cav is an applicant
for Postmaster at Bedford, Pa. He is most wor-
thy comrade, having lost a leg in the service be-
sides other disabling wounds He ought to get
there"
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
AN AWFUL. CHARGE.

Recent personal observation and experience con-
strain me TO refer to another result which will in
evitably follow the passage Of this bill II Is sad,
but nevertheless true that already In the matter of
procuring pensions there exists widespread dis
regard Of truth and good faith stimulated by those
who rs agents undertake 20 establish claims for
pensions, heedlessly entered upon by the ex-
pectant beneficiary and encouraged, or at least
not condemned, by those unwilling to obstruct a
neighbours plans.-PresidenCs Message.
The first impulse in reading this is to
auger against a Chief Magistrate who will
wantonly asperse very large class of our
people, and class, too, that is everywhere
ofhighest reputation for truth-telling, hon
esty and all the other virtues of Christianity
and good citizenship. But, dismissing anger,
let us calmly dissect his statements and
their obvious meanings.
The rate of pensions sought to be estab-
lished by the bill was S12 month. In
order to secure this modest sum the claim
ant would have had to state certain things,
and substantiate his statements with a SOL
emn oath. This in turn would have had to
be supported by the sworn testimony of two
reliable witnesses, and finally a board of
sworn officials would have had to confirm
the statement by a rigid personal examina-
ton.
The President says distinctly that the
desire TO secure this So month would
have led to the general commission of per-
jury.
IF this formal utterance of the head OF
our Government is true, we are confronted
with this awful dilemma:
a. Either our American people are so con-
scienceless-such Unborn liars-that the
sanctity of an oath or the pangs and penal
ties of perjury are no restraint upon them
when so much as SO are involved, or
b. The soldiers of the late war were so
demoralized by the mere fact of their serv-
ice that they have sunk to frightful condi-
ton of moral degradation.
If we deny that enlisting in the army did
not make make man more ready to swear
to lie than his neighhOr who staid at home,
and consequently that veterans and civilians
are on the same moral level, then the Presi-
dents words mean that as rule no Ameri-
can can be trusted to tell the truth under
oath where the sum of S12 for himself or
neighbor is concerned, and also that no more
reliance can be placed upon boards of sworn
officials, selected by the President himself.
If three men viii swear to lie in pension
case to secure S12, they will be equally ready
to swear to a lie at any other time, when
equal inducement is offered and our whole
social system is rotten-putrid.
We do not believe that ever before in the
history of country has the head of a Ma
ton made sach villainous accusation
against the mass of the people.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
BAD ENGLISH.

Among the numerous instances of bad
English in the Presidents veto message is
one which imperfectly educated people are
constantly making He says:
cannot believe that the vast, peaceful army OF
Union soldiers who having contentedly resumed
the places Ia the ordinary 0Uocations Of life
cherish sacred the memory Of patriotic service,
etc
What he meant to say was UOcaiiOns, which
means the reverse Of GUOcatiOns
Nebster's definition Of gocation is:
Destined or appropriate employment; calling !;
oecupaiion trade; profession.
he defines aUOcatiOn thus:
The act Of calling aside or dverting from some
employment. The word is generally
used for the smaller affairs Of life or occasional
calls which summon person 10 leave his ordinary
an principal business. The use OF this word for
vocation 10 very improper.
That is, blacksmithing, bricklaying, car
pentering, etc, are mems UOcations Fishing,
hunting, and the fascinating but uncertain
game Of poker are oUOcatioas
1t is bad enough TO have the President OF
the United States do wanton violence to the
brOken-dow defenders Of the country, with.
out adding to the Nervousness of his oflensC
by maltreating the English language. III,
has no occasion TO hate it. II was not re
aponsible for crushing the rebellion.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-17
PENSION PERJURY.

The Presidents reckless assertions would
make it appear that our whole pension sys-
tenn is rotten with perjury.
If this be the case, why are there not more
punishments2
Nothing in criminal practice is more easy
than to convict man of perjury who swears
falsely in pension case, and also his ac-
completes and abetters.
The Government has in its service an &C.
eomplished corps Of detectives, ever on the
alert to discover such criminality The
Grand Juries and United States Courts are
only too anxious to have such offenders
brought before them.
Yet there were but f27 convictions last
year for all manner of ofFenses against the
pension laws.
| The Presidents statements are, therefore,
either confession of imbecility upon the
part of those charged with the execution of
our laws, or malignant SANDER on our
people.